BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — As the final day of the United Nations climate conference approaches, nations increased the burden on themselves by failing to make any discernible progress toward their main objectives.
Since the beginning, COP29 has focused on climate finance, which is money that rich countries are required to give to developing countries to help them adapt to a warming globe and cover losses from extreme weather. The poor world was incensed by draft texts that surfaced Thursday following nearly two weeks of negotiations because they virtually left the financial commitment blank, despite experts putting the cost at $1 trillion or more.
As wealthier countries are forced to pay for effects primarily caused by their emissions from centuries of burning fossil fuels, the negotiations sometimes drag on into overtime. The oil-rich country hosting this year’s COP, or Conference of Parties, Azerbaijan, is under further pressure as a result of the late conclusion.
The president expressed optimism in a statement released late Thursday, stating that the financial package’s general contours are beginning to take shape and promising to provide additional draft texts on Friday.
According to the statement, COP29 calls on all parties to act quickly and together in order to achieve the ambitious goal that we all require.
The sun rises visible behind a transmission tower during the COP29 U.N. Climate Summit, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)
Associated Press/Peter Dejong photo
Mukhtar Babayev, the president of COP29, called a Qurultay, a customary Azerbaijani gathering, earlier in the day where negotiators heard all viewpoints. He committed to finding a solution for upcoming iterations.
It is insulting that the wording does not include a financial figure.
According to independent experts, at least $1 trillion in funding is required to help move away from fossil fuels that warm the world and toward sustainable energy sources like wind and solar power, improve climate change adaptation, and cover losses and damages brought on by extreme weather.
The lack of openness, according to Juan Carlos Monterrey Gomez of Panama, is like a smack in the face to those who are most in need.
He claimed that it is simply a complete disregard for the nations that are suffering the most from this catastrophe. Developed nations need to quit teasing us and present a substantial, financially based plan.
The absence of a number in the proposed agreement was also criticized by Esa Ainuu, who hails from the tiny Pacific island of Niue.
“This is crucial for us in the Pacific,” Ainuu stated. We are unable to flee to the desert. We are unable to flee to another location. For us, this is reality. Why are we attending COP if finance isn’t contributing anything?
The absence of a statistic also disappointed Mohamed Adow, director of the think organization Power Shift Africa. “All we have right now is a blank piece of paper, but we need a check,” he continued.
All nations want to do more to reduce their use of fossil fuels.
Negotiations are also taking place on climate change adaptation and pledges to reduce the use of fossil fuels that warm the world. However, they haven’t noticed any movement.
The proposed package was criticized by the United States and European countries for not being forceful enough in restating the demand for a move away from fossil fuels from the previous year.
According to Jennifer Morgan, head of the German delegation, the existing draft makes no headway in reducing global emissions of gases that trap heat. We cannot and should not respond to the misery of millions of people worldwide in this way. We have to perform better.
John Podesta, the U.S. climate envoy, expressed disappointment that nothing builds on the agreements reached in Dubai last year. As it prepares for another term under Donald Trump, the United States, the largest historical emitter of greenhouse gases in the world, has not participated much in the negotiations.
The demand to move away from fossil fuels was not brought up at the meeting of the 20 biggest economies in Brazil a few days prior. Official discourse is one thing, but reality is another, according to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who attended the conference.
At a news conference on Thursday, Guterres stated that unless fossil fuels are phased out, there is no chance the world can keep global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
___
Ahmed Hatem, a journalist at the Associated Press, helped write this article.
___
Several private foundations provide funding for the Associated Press’s coverage of the environment and climate. All content is the exclusive responsibility of AP. Visit AP.org to find funded coverage areas, a list of supporters, and AP rules for dealing with philanthropies.
The Associated Press, 2024. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. It is prohibited to publish, broadcast, rewrite, or redistribute this content without authorization.
Note: Thank you for visiting our website! We strive to keep you informed with the latest updates based on expected timelines, although please note that we are not affiliated with any official bodies. Our team is committed to ensuring accuracy and transparency in our reporting, verifying all information before publication. We aim to bring you reliable news, and if you have any questions or concerns about our content, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!